Tea bagging machine



P. ROHRIG TEA BAGGING MACHINE May 10, 1932.

4 Sheets- Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 6, 1931 INVENTOR BY P f dam, cwlu ATTORN EY May 10, 1932. P. ROHRIG 1,857,662

TEA BAGGING MACHINE F i1ed Feb. 6, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY May 10, 1932. P. ROHRIG TEA BAGGING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 6, 1931 INVENTOR BY f fifiwa. GAMMA. ATTORNEY May 10, 132.

P. ROHRIG TEA BAGGING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fil ed Feb. 6, 1931 Patented May 10, 1932 UNITED STATES .PATENT' OFFICE PAUL ROHRIG, OF BELLAIRE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO PNEUMATIC SCALE CORPORA- TION, LIMITED, OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHU- SETTS Application filed February 6, 1931. Serial No. 513,821.

This invention relates to a packaging machine, and more particularly to a tea bagging machine.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel andiimproved packaging machine designed to pack a commodity in a bag, to close the mouth of the bag, and to provide the bag with a flexible handle, and in which provision is made 'for winding the flexible handle around the mouth of the bag to place the handle and the bag in a condition ready for shipment when it is discharged from the machine.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel and efficient automatic machine for producing tea bags in which provision is made for automatically winding the string around the mouth of the bag as a part of the automatic operation of the machine and in timed relation to the bag forming, filling and closing operations, so that the tea bags as they are discharged from the machine are in a condition in which they may be packed in and removed from the cartons without entangling the string one with another.

' 7 With these objects in view and such'others asqnay hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the machine, and in the structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodimentof the invention, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a tea bagging machine embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of the machine illustrating the string winding mechanism; Fig. 5 is a. side elevation of the portion of the machine shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a detail of the string cutting mechanism showing the connections between it andthe strlng winding mechanism; Fig. 7 is a sectional detail illustrating the mechanism for moving the string winding element vertically; and Fig. Sis a side elevation of the completed tea bag with the string wound around the mouth thereof in the condition in which 1t is discharged from the machine.

In general thepresent invention contemplates the provision of a machine, preferably automatic in its operation, for packing a commodity in a bag, for closing the mouth of i the bag, for providing the bag with a flexible handle comprising preferably a string at--' tached to the mouth of the bag, and a tag connected to the string, and in which provision is also made for automatically winding the string around the neck portion of the bag to place each bag as it is dischar ed from the machine in a condition ready or shipment. At the present time various machines are used for the production of commercial tea bags, and in order'to facilitate the packifig of the finished tea bags .in cartons readyf r delivery, it has heretofore been the prac-' tice to manually wind the string around each teabag after the formed and filled bags have been discharged from the machine, to produce a bag such as illustrated in Fi 8, and

m pack the tea bags, with the string thus wound around the neck portion thereof, in

the shipping carton, thus enabling the individual tea bags to be readily removed from the carton by the consumer without liability of the strings becoming entangled.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the present machine may and preferably will comprise in general construction and mode of operation the automatic tea bagging machine forming the subject matter, of l the patent to Ralph N. Doble No. 1,7 26,060,

August 27, 1929, except as to certain details i as will be pointed out, and provision is made for automatically winding the length of string forming the handle of each tea bag around the neck portion of the bag as an operation in the complete operation of the machine. The mechanism for performing the winding operation is associated with and timed to operate in definite rela on to the mechanism for performing the various operations of filling, forming and closing the bag,-

and also in definite cooperative relation to the mechanism for attaching the handle comprising the string and the tag to the bag, with the result that the tea bags are delivered by the machine in a condition completely ready for packing with each length of string wound around the neck portion of the individual bag, thus permitting an operator to remove the bags as they are discharged on the outgoing conveyor from the machine and pack the bags directly in cartons. In this manner considerable labor is saved in handling the bags being discharged from the machine in addition to the inconvenience incident to such handling, and liability of the strings of the bags becoming entangled during the handling of the bags. In addition to these economics, the present machine operates to eliminate the necessity for the. labor expense involved in the manual winding of the strings around the mouth of the bags.

While the difierent features of the present invention are herein illustrated as embodied in an automatic tea bagging machine for producing tea bags of the pouch type, and which machine may and preferably will, except as to details to be hereinafter pointed out, be constructed and have the mode of operation of the automatic tea bagging machine forming the subject matter of the patent to Ralph N. Doble No.. 1,726,060, dated August 27, 1929, to which reference is made, only suflicient portions thereof have been herein illustrated as will enable the features of the present invention to be understood.

Referring now to the drawings, the improved tea bagging machine illustrated therein is designed to withdraw a predetermined length of gauze from a supply roll 2 by means of a pair of driven feed rolls 3, and to cut ofi' a definite length of the gauze thus withdrawn by means of shears 4. The gauze thus out off is positioned upon a supporting plate indicated at 5, over an opening or die formed therein, and under a forming and filling tube 6. Provision is made for reciprocating the tube vertically to thereby force the gauze down through the die and form it into a pouchbag, and during such movement provision is made for depositing a predetermined quantity of the tea or other commodity down through the tube 6 and into the interior of the formed bag. llhe specific details of the parts thus far described and their mode of operation may and preferably will comprise those illustrated in the aforesa1d patent and those of the commercial autQmatic tea bagging machine at present being manufactured and sold by the Pneumatic Scale Corporation, Limited, of Norfolk Downs, Mass, and which machines are wellknown in the trade.

As the pouch bag is formed and filled in the manner described at the bag forming and filling station, provision is made for inserting it between one set of double gripping jaws 10, 12, which are automatically opened at this station. After the bag has been formed and filled, the double gripping jaws are closed,

thus closing the mouth of the bag, gripping the mouth portion at two points spaced a short distance apart, and operatively supporting the bag during the succeeding opera tions performed thereon, including the trimming of the surplus material from the mouth portion of the bag, the application of a closure for the mouth of the bag and of a handle comprising preferably a string attached to the mouth of the bag and a tag attached to the string.

In the illustrated machine it will be understood that the plurality of sets of. gripping members 10, 12 are operatively supportedby a rotatable disk or turret 14, and provision is made for intermittently rotating the turret are then operated to close the mouth of the bag and to operatively support it and convey it during the successive steps through which the turret 14 is rotated until the bag is presented to the mechanism for looping the string around the mouth of the bag, which is located at station B, see Fig. 2,'and then to the mechanism for attaching the tag to the itring at a'succeeding station C, as shown in i ts above set forth, the bag forming and filling mechanism for forming and filling the bag at the station A; the loop applying mechanism for looping the string around the mouth of the bag at the station B; and the tagging mechanism for attaching the tag to the string at the station 0, may and preferably will comprise in details of construction and mode of operation, the corresponding mechanisms illustrated in said patent and which are embodied in the commerical automatic tea bagging machine above referred to with the exception of the construction of the double grippers 10, 12. For the purposes of understanding the present invention, it is thought that the description thus far of such mechanism, together with reference to my said patent, will be sufficient to enable the difierent features of the present invention to be understood.

As above set forth, the bag forming and filling mechanism for forming and filling the bag at the station A, the loop applying mechanism for looping the string around the mouth of the bag at the station B, and the tagging mechanism for attaching the tag to herein shown the gripper members 10, 12

comprise double jaws arranged to grip the mouth. portion of the bag at two points spaced apart in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3. Inasmuch as the construction of the double gripping jaws 10, 12 of themselves constitute no part of the present invention, further description is believed to be unnecessary and reference is made by permission to the copending application of William S. Cleaves Serial No. 393,352, for a complete understanding of the construction and mode of operation of the double gripping jaws.

To facilitate the cutting of the surplus material from the mouth of the bag, the mouth portion of the bag is presented to and moved along the cutting edge of a stationary knife 90 arranged with respect to the other instrumentalities of the machine, so as to perform the trimming operationafter the tag has been applied to the string and the string has been attached to the mouth portion of the bag, such position being illustrated in Fig. 2.

In order to effect winding of the handle, comprising 7 around the neck of the filled bag in order to facilitate the packing of the bags as previously described. provision is made in the illustrated machine for automatically engaging the string after the tag has been applied thereto and for winding the string around the mouth of the bag so that when the bag is discharged from the machine upon the discharge conveyor it will have the string wound around the neck in the manner illustrated in Fig. 8.

In the illustrated machine the string winding mechanism is arranged beneath the turret 14 carryin the double gripping jaws 10, 12 of the aforesaid tea baggingmachine illusstrated in the Doble patent, and provision is made for initiating the operation of the winding mechanism at each cycle in the oper ation of the machine after the tag has been applied to the string and the string severed, leaving the tag'anda length of the tring at? tached to the neck of the bag. As herein cludes a rotary member comprising a sleeve 19 rotatably mounted upon a sluiportmg stud 21 affixed to a part of the machine frame and having upon its upper surface a bearing member or disk 23 upon which the tea ba g is permitted to rest when the bag is held over the winding mechanism by the grippers 10, 12. The sleeve 19 is arranged to be continuously driven around a driving pulley 27 and a driven pulley 29 formedon the sleeve 19. The driving pulley 27 is driven from a motor 31 or other suitable source of power through the chain and sprocket drive 33. The sleeve 19 is provided with means for engaging the string of the handle of the bag to effect the winding of the string about "the month of the. bag, and asherein shown the sleeve is.

provided with a flange 40 having a series of the string and the attached tag,

shown the string wind ing mechanism in-' through a belt 25' running 52 upon a lever 54. The. lever 54 is pivoted v at 56 and is provided upon its forward end with a yoke 60, the arms 62 of which are engaged in a groove 66 in the periphery of the sleeve 19. The cam roll 50 is arranged to be depressed through suitable cam operative mechanism at the proper time in the operation of the machine, and asherein shown the cam roll 50 is carried upon the end of an arm 7 0 adjustably mounted upon a cutter arm 74, the latter carrying the cutter 78 for severing the tag and the length of string forming the handle for the bag from the continous length of string, all as set forth in the aforesaid Doble patent above referred to. When the cutter arm 74 is rocked to the right through the medium of the cutter operating cam 80, the link 82 and arm 84, the cutter upon its descent operates to sever the string immediately behind the tag'and to leave the tag suspended from the end of the bag by a length of string and thus forming the handle, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. Simultaneously with the descentof the cutter and with the performance of the cutting operation as thus described the sleeve 19 is raised from a position illustrated in Fig. 3 to a position in which the bristles upon the upper end of the sleeve engage the string and operate to wind the string about the neck of the bag as the bristles and sleeve 19' are rotated 4 its operation, bringing the bag to the discharge station where the grippers are opened, permitting the bag with the string wound around the mouth. thereof. and inthe condition illustrated in Fig. 8 to drop .onto the, discharge conveyor by which it is discharged from the machine in a condition ready for shipment. The surplus material is trimmed from the, mouth of the bag by a stationary cutter 9O positioned as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, and when the gripper jaws open at the ejecting station, this surplus 'material held by the upper set of gripping jaws is withdrawn by suction through the suction pipe 85 and into the storagereceptacle 86.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 6, it will be ob- I between them. The brackets 92, 94; constitute shields for preventing the tag and strlng from bounding upwardly and becoming em tangled in the gripping jaws 10, 12, or around the tea bag itself, the action being illustrated clearly in Figs. 3 and 6.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms Within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is and a tag to the neck portion of a bag held by the bag holding means, and mechanism for winding the string of the handle thus applied around the neck of the bag while the latter is held by the bag holding means.

2. In a tea bagging machine, in combination, a plurality of gripper members for closing and holding the mouth of the bag, means for intermittently moving the gripper members to present the bag'to successive stat-ions,

mechanism for attaching a handle comprising a string and a tag to the mouth portion of the bag held by the gripper members, means for thereafter opening the gripper members to discharge the bag therefrom, and mechanism operative to wind the handle'comprising-the string and'the tag about the neck portion of the bag While the latter is held by the grippers and before it is discharged from the machine.

3. In a tea bagging machine, in combina-. tion, a plurality of bag holding members, means for intermittently moving the same through successive Stations including'a string winding station, mechanism for applying to the bag a handle comprising a string and a tag, While the bag is held by the grippers, winding mechanism having provision for engaging the string of the handle, disposed with relation to the path of movement of the grippers to be capable of v engaging the string when the grippers have moved the bag to the string .winding station and for winding the -string about the mouth of the bag, operatlng mechanism for initiating the operation of the string Winding mechanism when the bag has been moved to .such station and mechanism for opening the grippers when the bag with the string wound around the neck t-hereofhas been moved to a succeeding station to permit the completed bag to be discharged from the machine.

' .4. In a tea bagging machine, in combination, a rotatable turret provided with a plurality of bag gripping members, mechanism for intermittently moving the turret to move the gripping members through successive stations, mechanism for attaching a handle having a length of string to the mouth of the bag, mechanism for thereafter engaging the string and winding it about the neck of the bagwhile the latter is held by the grippers, and mechanism operating in timed relation to the movements of the turret and grippers for initiating the operation of the string winding mechanism.

5. In atea baggin machine, in combinaing member for controlling the operation of I the string winding mechanism.

6. In a tea bagging machine, in combination, aplurality of bag holding members, means for moving the same, tag and string applying mechanism including a cutter for severing the string between the attached tag and the next succeeding bag, for providing the bag with a flexible handle comprising a tag and a length of string, mechanism for operating the cutter, string winding mechanism for winding substantially the entire length of string around the neck of the bag for purposes of shipment, and connections between the cutter operating mechanism and the string windingmechanism for initiating the operation of the latter when the cutter is operated. I I

7. In a tea bagging machine, in combination, means for gripping and holding the neck of a filled ha of the pouch type, mechanism for moving t 1e. gripping mechanism and the bag held thereby, mechanism for attaching a flexible handle to the neck of a bag held by the gripping mechanism, and winding mechanism disposed near the path of movement of a bag thus held for effecting winding of the handle about the neck of a bag While the latter is held by the gripping mechanism.

8. In a tea bagging machine, in combination, mechanism for afiixing a flexible handle to a filled tea bag, and winding mechanism for thereafter winding the flexible handle about the neck of the filled tea bag prior to its discharge from the machine.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

PAUL ROHRIG. 

